Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-11-13

while thsEe 10 little ground for the
pssslmislis belief that huuanisy IL grow
ing w0Ese instssd Of better and thai he
standard Of honor Axad upon ~ lndi-
viduAIs eensEaIIy and b. pnblIc ofaeials
in particular is lover than Il has been
In times pass, q b unqusstionably true
thns Ne Last few ysnss havs witnessed
exposures Of dlshonenty and faisAless-
nsas IN public and private life almost
wifhonf . pazAllsl Ia history. Il may
be that this e beoanss shoEtsominGs,
and especially those Of an 0fasisl NJ
tnss, ere mora Felsntleasly exposed nov
than ever hefsrs. The old time guard
Ians Of public morality baye been re-
enforced By the press. whiek with its
thousand eyes is eontinnaIIy pserine
iato the books Of public officials, run
ming over their aeeounts, studying their
vSGohers and pointing out 10 the public
With an ais Of triumph svsry disasep-
aneS thas is Discovered, every figure
that IL nos whai q ahomld be.
Whatever the cause may be. Il IL GER
tain that the public knows more Of cor
ruption In public life than u ever knew
before. In times past the public fire.
quantity suspsstsd that oOFraptiou e. :
listed when there vas no means Of max
ing the suspicion q Ssrtainsy. Now, she
suspieion, II Il be Q correct one. speedily
becomes certainty. In he past She
people may have thOaght thai there waG
eoFEuptiOn. Now they know that
there is. TIE transactions Of %
many ex-membeFs Of the NeW Yogh
beard Of aldermen, the operations Of
the county commissioners Who vera 70.
osntly convicted in the Chicago courts,
and the recent disRraceful proceedings
In the NsW Hampshire legislature tell
the story too plainly 10 b misundsr.
siOod. OoEEuption, such corruption "a
is known 10 The publie, Il more eommos
nov than ever before. and In tAis ssnss,
II in no other. this may be termed an
ace Of corruption.
Washington Territory has thus far
been sinRuIaFly fFee from those official
scandals which have disRraned % many
Of The states Of The union. Thsre have
been here no cases Of Wholesale brib-
cry. No legislature has been bought
up a. che lot. No city council has ia
GRAVITY betrayed its constituents. TIE
Gases Of malfsaaAnee In petty Offices
have been few and Of slight import
ance. The record Of The territory 10
good, and u should be maintained. A.
this time, when the states Of the union
are unjussly refusing 10 permit wash
inaton 10 exercise he degree Of infla.
enes n he gov1snmsnt 10 which is 4
entitled. its pespls should be careful 70
avoid being placed In . position which
viii afford their enemies an excuse for
saying that they ore unat 10 govern
themselves becAnse Of oBoial eoEss
ruuIisn. To this cod 70 behooFss ne
people Of this territory 70 seEutinizs
vel those who oEsF thsnsslves e. can
dadaisa for public efics aud 10 watch
With nsaloas care every move and every
vote Of theaR Legislators.
BAD men are not uncommon IN Ofios
n any paEs Of the world % under any
fern Of eoseEumsnt. There ere few
legislatures vhich % not contain sons
msn Via voald Ill thsiF vote and BE-
tray their eoastitasnts. Large sums Of
monay are necessary 10 secure the SER
vices Of some Of these coFFupt men.
So small thing - Q railroad pass may
be snfaoisnt 10 secure those Of otheEA
when . lsRislAi0E assumes an sttiaads
directly QantraFy 10 that Of his eonsii-
iasnss. Il whea there is On he surface
20 reason Tor lis dolna %. q b usIl for
Ne puhlie % watch hin elosely. Els
attitude may not be dae Ia bribery. bus,
en- the other hand, ID may, and The very
8oaht b sufficient 10 jastify canfion.
Ths god record Of Washington Ter
lltsEy IN his respect E,uss not be broken
II . tins when e h - necessary thai
he credit e cur people for Palltiaal
Morality Be maintained Il issaFasstly
10 Be hsped that he Legislature whieh
Il sooa 10 meet vii grove itsalf 10 be
representative Of the hlEa morality Of
hs people. II b advisable. however,
hal he psopis kssp as elOss q watch -
,ossibis upoa thar Representatives. A
Ice ssrasinT q their aets cen 90 10
,Arw. Bed usn aFs TO b fOand sTsFy-
shsfs. and n b net aifogethes inpoani- /
lla that ems might Be found even ia The /
sgialafisa assembly Of WanhinRton
rsrsitosy.
50 duasa ehtidEsnis I'll uoaI, seamisn
80 A q. ana - 90 n.afE EnAfan a l